Sunday, March 23, 2008

Yes We Can!

Our quote of the week - and video of the week - come from Jaime Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba, Brazil and governor of Paraná.

I'm not against cars. But your city doesn't have to be oriented toward them. A car is like your mother-in-law. You want to have a good relationship with her, but you can't let her conduct your life.

The most important message that Lerner (and the Peñalosa Brothers who followed his example in Bogotá) have to convey is that building sustainable cities isn't a matter of money. It's a matter of priorities and political courage. Here is a video of Lerner's TED talk, which goes into more detail.

Lerner seems to have developed a standard roadshow about sustainability, BRT and cities; if you can't watch the video you can read the same points in any number of interviews. That doesn't make them any less valid - just more accessible.

Here's a bonus quote, from Lerner's "Song of Sustainability," which echoes some of Caetano Veloso's work:

It's possible, it's possible!You can do it, you can do it!Live closer to work!Work closer to home!Save energy on your own!